Black Butler, Vol. 31

黒執事 [Kuroshitsuji] #31

by Yana Toboso

Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao’s victory is secured as they thoroughly dismantle the operation in North Yorkshire. Meanwhile, Baldo and Lau are headed to Wiltshire to investigate a sanatorium for war veterans that is rumored to be headed by a “miracle healer.” The skeptical cook is disinclined to believe in the existence of angels—but the incredulous sight that unfolds before his eyes might change his mind…

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Supernatural, Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction

178 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2021

About the author

Yana Toboso (枢 やな Toboso Yana) is a female Japanese manga artist born in Warabi, Saitama Prefecture, Japan and currently resides in Yokohama. She is best known for Black Butler (黒執事 Kuroshitsuji), a popular shonen manga series.

She has also written yaoi under the pen name Yanao Rock (簗緒ろく).

Appearance
Yana Toboso draws herself as a devil with a black body and horns, a white head, and a pointed tail. She has never uploaded a picture of herself, so her actual appearance is unknown.

Reviews

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This arc!! I need it to release faster so I can know what's gonna happennnn! Additionally the artwork is just so beautiful i'm so obsessed

[Lena , süße Maus · Rating 2 out of 5]

how much longer are you going to drag this out for, Yana Toboso????😭

[Elizabeth Aguilar · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I do like learning about the servant's backgrounds and the infiltrations of the potential blood banks, I feel the pacing is slow. In this volume, we finally wrap up with the Baron Heathfield manor arc and move onto the Sanitarium arc. I'm plesantly surprised since it looks like this next arc may move a little quicker than the last since they easily identified what was going on. There is an interesting conflict here because while the Sanitarium feels into the blood bank plot, it also does good

I still enjoy the series and will reading, but I think it'll be some time before the action-packed parts return.

[tig :3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

my heart is so squeezy for all these characters i’m actually petrified for what this is all building up to ;__;

[Ash (BooksToAshes)]

Loving this arc and era of the series

[María Amparo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuando creo que voy a retirarme de esta serie, vuelve a conquistar mi interés.
Yana Toboso da en este y en el anterior tomo protagonismo a los secundarios de las aventuras del Mayordomo Infernal. Y en este volumen, además, nos ofrece una introducción resumen bastante necesaria.
Lo que está claro es que con este nuevo filón argumental hay serie para rato.

[TheBookishHobbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally got my hands on the next volume! I know a lot of people are not happy that Toboso is dragging the plot with the backstory for the supporting cast, but I personally am enjoying it! I feel like it is building up to one epic conclusion for the series. And I am fired up to know who is Polaris… he can’t be Agni because this character was before him so perhaps a demon like Sebastian? Can’t wait for volume 32… probably some time in 2023 but I hope later this year!

[Morgana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cet arc n'est pas mon préféré, je ne suis pas sûre d'avoir encore envie de lire ce manga. L'histoire a évolué, elle n'est plus ce qu'elle était au début et c'est dommage parce que c'est vraiment ce qui m'intéressait.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much to love about this volume of Black Butler, and so little to not like. This is firing on all cylinders, and I enjoyed almost every aspect of the book. Yana Toboso did extra good with tying everything together and keeping you entertained and intrigued...at least it did for me. I absolutely love the first half of the book. The second half is great...but it is the reason the book didn't hit the perfect 5-star rating. Small things not worth spoiling, but the book is great! You will run through the pages of this volume.

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It needed to be longer!! 😭 I love this series so much!

[Phantomº · Rating 3 out of 5]

So guessing this volume will be chapters 166-174 (recent volumes have been around 9 chapters each).
Once again, the focus is on the Phantomhive servants, finishing Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao's quest and heading to the next pair of Baldroy and Lau in the Sanatorium (we were greeted with a pleasant surprise there)The Shinigamis' absence has been long, finally one of them appears!
We got glimpses of the other side (*cough* some beautiful Undertaker panels, thank you Yana sensei) but nothing extreme regarding the action, rather a set up for the next arc, hence the rating is around 3,5 stars.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

hello, i would like the main stroyline back please
I do like learing more about baldo and mey rin but a) there is way too much, i dont remember the last chapter with the main storyline b) agaim, this just feels like dumping their backstories in weird places beacuse the author is unsure of what to do with the actual story

[Nott · Rating 4 out of 5]

почему главы стали такие короткие, надеюсь мангака не устала до тошнотиков х

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ran-Mao punched lechers *smirks*

Just as a warning to anyone sensitive about partial nudity those maids that have been used to collect blood from are barely covered by blankets being kept sedated during the process so when freed later they are covered from the blankets that once covered them but Ran-Mao being much less shy does a bit of house wrecking with only the power of convenient censorship prevent any private areas or nipples from bein shown. As usual there is violence as well as at least one scene where a lecherous act resulted in quick punishment.

With the discovery of Ran-Mao, Mey-Rin finds herself face to face with fellow maid Jane (as seen on the cover of the volume) and she knows what she must do even if Jane is roughly as talented in the arts of assassination as Mey-Rin. In the end this volume marks the end of the North Yorkshire part of the espionage mission to sabotage blood donations for he who has taken the identity of Ciel and cast our familiar Phantomhive into temporary exile.

Next we get to see Baldo and Lau as they head to a sanatorium for war veterans but sometimes the path to hell is paved with good intentions as the line of duty and compassion begins to blur for Baldo as he learns the truth behind the blood collections the duo have discovered. Even better it looks like next volume we will get to see some of Baldo's history revealed as he shares his story (or at least reflects on it) as he finds a kindred spirit in the "Miracle Nurse."

[Jaye Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao's task is done and it was very satisfying. That other maid Jane was so cool too ugh. Weird Ran-Mao fanservice where she was naked the entire time she was going beast mode aside, it was 🤌.

So we move onto Baldo and Lau's task which is to infiltrate a sanatorium for wounded soldiers. I gotta be honest I never liked Lau because he's a nasty drug dealer with a harem that deals in human trafficking but I appreciate he's being a team player.

I've also never looked twice at Baldo but finally it looks like we'll be getting his backstory as well! It's so funny, 30+ volumes in and we finally get to learn about these characters.😭

I gotta say this arc, with mini-arcs in it that lets all the various characters develop and shine was really galaxy brain. Never thought I'd be so invested in the dumb ass servants but I am very invested.

I play too many video games I fear but this is absolutely a bunch of side quests needed before they can advance the main story and it's so entertaining.

[Cheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another treasure from Dana Toboso

What a wild ride after thirty-one graphic novels over fifteen years. I'm reading on my Amazon HD 10 fire tablet where it's easy navigation between pages and quality is crystal clear. I highly recommend this exciting series. It's clever, inventive and intriguing.

[maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok but can we talk about how hot jane and ronald are...

[Nicolette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan for the longest time but adding only the most recent volumes I have read to avoid spam :)

[★ray's bookshelf★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Chinese sisters are indeed powerful but Mei-Rin is much more skillful and beautiful 🎀

[⋆｡˚꒰ঌ worm ໒꒱˚｡⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending’s insinuation????

This volume was great from tying up the ending with Mey Rin and Ran Mao to seeing the beginning of Lao and Baldo’s mission.

[Madhumita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I've finally caught up. Can't believe I'm gonna have to wait months for the English translation of vol 32 after I've been binge reading.

A lot of good stuff in this one. Interested to see who Polaris is and what else Undertaker has planned.

[Mahdiye HajiHosseini]

آپدیت ۱۵ مرداد ۴۰۱-
ترجمه فارسی
•
انگوئینگ ریلیز سریالی
از چپتر ۱۶۶ تا چپتر ۱۷۶
باید بعد از اینکه اومدم بخونمش

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

TFW you don’t know how to wrap up your main storyline so you start getting into what every. single. side character is up to, and extended flashbacks going into their backstories

[Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 💫

[KSena]

OK so… This was the last one that the libraries had. I have put down a note that I wish for them to buy more, but we’ll see if they do.

Either way, this had a very interesting crescendo to the sotry with Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao. Ran-Mao, as it turns out, is WAY MORE A BADASS than I thought! Geezes… But did you have to go berserk naked? I guess that’s her thing, being a badass and fanservice at the same time. Ran-Mao going berserk was a bit of a highlight though, I will admit. Kinda cool!

Both her and Mey-Rin prove their loyalty though. They are really very very loyal to Fake Ciel. (I hope I won’t have to call him that for much longer…)

And the guard of the house with all them sedated ladies, also a badass maid… Well, she got no loyalty to her employer it turns out! When she sees she got nothing to put against Ran-Mao and Mey-Rin she just goes NOPE! and turns and walks off. Kinda badass in her own right.

Fake Ciel’s brother Real Ciel is kinda elated when he hears about Mey-Rin and Ran-Mao’s success in taking down one of his blood-factories. Weirdly, since he depends on blood to keep his undead body going. (Not like a vampire, but with constant transfusions.) Real Ciel really weirds me out, honestly. What is his end goal, I wonder?? And the grim reaper the Undertaker who brought Real Ciel back to life, what is his end goal???

To many questions, to little answers.

We got to follow Baldo and Lau for a bit to. Lau is such a weirdo, honestly. In a good way. What a team Baldo and Lau is! Good lord. We start to get hints at Baldos backstory, so I guess we’ll get the whole thing in the next volume. A bit more than just knowing he’s an ex-military. Lau being the head a chinese crime-syndicate, that we already know, so I suppose the focus will be on Baldo.

The sanatorium they go to to investigate if that’s a blood factory as well seems… both weird and good at the same time! The head-nurse is seriously a badass! Fitting for Baldo… *cough, cough*

To be honest, there’s a lot of badass women in this manga! Even when they’re fanservice, they still can kick your ass to kingdom come! Do so enjoy that!

I hope the library will buy the next three! Fingers crossed!

[Reanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying these "pairs going off on their own missions" stories. Lau is an odd choice to trust with one, though.

Does anyone know who the other "star" that we saw in this one was supposed to be? We saw hints of him, and I feel like maybe we're supposed to recognize him from somewhere, but what we saw isn't nearly enough for me to make anything of.

The following is my own speculation:

I think that these other "stars" are going to be people that we recognize, people that have died previously in the story. I suspect one of them would be either Joker or the mad circus doctor. The doctor would make more sense themeatically because he was experimenting with messed up stuff like the Undertaker is, but Joker has more potential to cause drama among the main cast. (I still feel like there's a ticking time bomb, i.e. Snake doesn't know that the troupe is not only dead but killed by the people he now works with, since Ciel lied to him about that. I'm afraid of what might happen whenever he finds out the truth.) If we're going with the theme of mad doctors getting brought back, then Madame Red would also make a logical choice.

But I'm curious to see who they turn out to be, since I do think they'll people who we--or at least who the characters--know.

[Mindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

With these last few volumes I feel like Black Butler has reached a new level. There are serious stakes now, and I think that Toboso's art and writing have gotten a lot darker and more intense. I'm absolutely loving this series right now.

The MVP of this volume is definitely Ran Mao. Girlfriend went beast mode while fully nude in this volume, and her and Mey-rin are the ultimate female badass characters in this series. Ugh, it's so satisfying to see them shut down that operation.

For the second half of the story we get Baldo and Lau showing up at the sanatorium in Wiltshire. I'm really enjoying seeing these two work together, and I loved Baldo's quick thinking when the head nurse at the sanatorium wanted to send Lau home. I looks like this story is going to go in a different direction than the Manor in North Yorkshire, but both men will still have to stop operations in order to achieve their goal.

Sadly, volume 32 is the last volume before I am caught up and finally have to wait like everyone else for the next translated volume to be released. I'm so glad I gave this series a chance. It's become one of my all time favorites.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series Info/Source: This is the 31st volume in the Black Butler series. I bought a copy of this book.

Thoughts: I really loved this volume in the series. It was great to have the recap at the front of the book explaining why our characters split into groups again. This volume ties up Mey-Ren and Ran-Mao’s story in an explosive way. It was awesome to see Ran-Mao in action. Then we move on to Baldo and Lau’s group and watch as they infiltrate a sanatorium for war veterans.

I love all of these characters and am really enjoying the storyline as well. The illustration remains absolutely stunning too! It looks like the next volume will delve into Baldo’s past. I have been greatly enjoying getting a glimpse into the past of the Phantomhive crew!

My Summary (5/5): Overall this was an awesome read and I am so happy with the way the storyline is going with this series. Toboso’s illustration remains amazing and I love how she is moving this series along. I love this whole series and would highly recommend it!

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing like ending an arc with an infuriated Ran Mao after recent damseling, back at full strength and ready to do some damage. Not to mention she got all the other damsels angry enough to pay back those who abused them. She complements Meyrin very well. Jane struck me as being an interesting character, one I wonder if we’ll see more of. Next up is the unlikely duo of Baldo and Lao, facing opponents that are entirely too sympathetic for Baldo’s liking. Readers get a glimpse of the soldier the hapless chef once was before he became a servant of Lord Phantomhive. Baldo and Lao are playing very well off each other in their odd team. Tantalizing hints were dropped about what Lord Phantomhive is up to, why Undertaker is so sad. There’s some serious weak links in their organization, weak links which promise to cause trouble. The presence of other reapers and the mystery of how they’re going about their goals are intriguing. Once again the artwork was beautiful and the characters were compelling, leaving me satisfied and wanting more of this distinctively attractive manga.

[ashes ➷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, again, we have to stan the way the Jane arc wrapped up (and, yes, I'm titling it after her because she is the light of my life), but we do not have to stan that we are now going to be forced to survive MORE OF THE BACKSTORIES. It just feels like this part is not going to be as interesting as the bits before it, and the fact that Toboso has been publishing chapters quite slowly makes me think she knows it and is just trying to figure out how to backtrack out of it. Well, we'll see.

Initially I thought this was needless to say, but nobody is talking about it, so here it is: Toboso fucked up with the Native American plotline. Who let her do this. Please stop it now.